Good approximation of user location is a unique interesting function that is just really emerging and it feels like it definitely should be “leveragable.”

There are obviously various ideas for use running around, dating, hooking up with friends, dropping advertising on people for nearby stores. These all fall under the umbrella of LBS.

But if we put on our marketing hats on its clear LBS will never mean anything in and of itself. E911 type applications have their own niche and although there is revenue from carriers associated with this. That’s probably where the $$$ are indirectly being driven from now.

I think the piece of the pie that is missing for LBS to mean something is what is the job consumers are hiring for that location based data would really help? How do they do it today?
Well if I am traveling and don’t know where a place to eat or make copies or what have you would be helpful. But that does not come up much for most people. And if you dont use something once or twice a week it never really sticks. (Habits are power, thats how cell phones got so powerful in the first place!)

Tracking other family members might work. Mom wants to be sure Johnny got to school OK. Hmmm…. need to mull over jobs people want to hire for when they are not in their house… How about virtual stickies? Would I want to put a reminder to myself to stop at the asian market and get some more iced coffee when I am within a mile of it? That sounds different and good but it may just be too much work to set up…